Theaters across the country are expecting full venues as fans of the comic series plan to turn out in large numbers Feb. 16. The first 24 hours of ticket pre-sales for the movie, touted by Fandango as the “most anticipated motion picture of 2018”, are the largest for any Marvel film on the site.

In Memphis, plans to see "Black Panther" began the moment the trailer was revealed during the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 8.

Some fans plan to don costumes or authentic African attire; others are making plans to attend one of several pre-screenings held throughout the city. While reasons for seeing the movie vary, for Kirstin Cheers, representation is key.

“I'm going to see BP because I've never seen a movie quite like it: one that depicts me and the prowess of Blackness,” said Cheers. ("Black Panther") is inclusive of Black superwomen and it's a bit emotional — that I can be a superhero — and that's what movies are for,” said Cheers.

With the premier date just around the corner, Memphians are basking in the excitement of seeing a piece of fictional history come to life.

“There is no Wakanda just like there is no Hogwarts or Hillman College, but that never steered me from fantasizing about being a wizard or attending an HBCU and studying history through the lens of African American scholars and experiences,” added Cheers. “So here I am, 27, and fantasizing about being a superhero — a Black female one — and wondering if I can, in my nonfictional world, protect and save my homeland, too.”